Acquire other newsletters

Larger newsletter operators are buying smaller newsletters and rolling those subscriber bases up under their own brand.

Solo newsletter operators are often able to build an audience but struggle to make any money from their subscribers. So if you’ve got that monetization cracked, you can come in and buy these audiences effectively at a discount!

One of the main benefits is that with this method, you’re getting an immediate boost to your audience, and every subscriber acquired is already qualified as a “newsletter” type of person.

Buying another newsletter can often also come with other strategic benefits: For example you may get access to talented writers and existing sponsorship relationships.

Plus you can "cross-pollenate": Introduce your existing audience to the new newsletter (and vice versa) to grow both lists quickly.

You can find people selling their newsletters outright on platforms like Flippa and Duuce. The main thing is to make sure you’re buying readers, not just subscribers. So check the engagement metrics thoroughly, and ask the seller to send a test email if the list has been inactive for a while!

You’ll need a plan for smoothly transitioning the acquired newsletter's audience to your own content. Let them know about the acquisition, and explain that they’re going to start to receive content from you moving forward.

You might notice a chunk of people unsubscribe, but if you’re acquiring a newsletter that genuinely aligns with yours, the vast majority will stick around.

‍